Chapter 11: Starlight Halo?

In the 1762nd year of Dou Calendar, June 13th, overcast.

When the morning class bell rang, the sky remained thick with clouds, not a single star visible.

This made Qian Xiaohu, who had planned to take his Awakening Spirit Pill this morning, hesitate as he trailed closely behind Xu Jin: “Jin-ge, with this overcast weather, will it affect star-pointing?”

“No.”

“Didn’t you pay attention in class?”

The instructor already explained: as long as you’re not in a completely sealed room, star energy is everywhere. Don’t you remember? Lu Xianbing succeeded in star-pointing during a rainstorm.

It’s just overcast—what’s there to fear?”

“Don’t let your mind wander. Have confidence. After taking the pill, focus entirely on star-pointing—you’ll make it!” Xu Jin encouraged again.

“Yes, I can definitely do it!” With Xu Jin’s encouragement, Qian Xiaohu, who had failed many times, regained some confidence.

Xu Jin, however, walked straight to the eastern side of the morning practice grounds; as soon as Ning Yuchan appeared for morning class, she began channeling starlight through the Meal Xia Technique.

Once star energy accumulated fully in her chest, she began practicing the Five Stars Killing Fist.

After just the first movement, the sensation was already different.

Last night’s hour-long focused practice inside the Star Lamp had yielded significant progress; now, using the Five Stars Killing Fist to refine her body, the results showed immediately.

Previously, the first movement of the Five Stars Killing Fist and Yin-Yang merely used fist momentum to stir star energy into vibrations that struck the body for refinement.

It had been direct and straightforward.

But after last night’s training, the star energy guided by Xu Jin’s fist movements accelerated first, then slowed drastically, causing the star energy to surge within his body like waves—wave after wave.

Like temple bells: one strike, yet lingering echoes that continued to resonate.

Yesterday, the same movement sent star energy to strike and refine the body once; today, the same movement struck and refined the body three or four times over.

The refinement effect had multiplied.

“Hm?”

Not far away, Ning Yuchan, the instructor guiding a boy in star-pointing, suddenly turned her head toward the source of the star energy fluctuations, her expression one of surprise.

Was it Xu Jin who had generated star energy fluctuations?

Only two days since he succeeded in star-pointing, and already the Five Stars Killing Fist produced star energy fluctuations—this talent was extraordinary.

Star energy fluctuations could be understood as the intensity of star energy’s rise, fall, and explosive oscillations.

All the boys who had succeeded in star-pointing were diligently practicing the Five Stars Killing Fist and had indeed generated star energy fluctuations.

Before reaching Meal Xia Level One, the fluctuations they produced were extremely weak—so weak that even Ning Yuchan couldn’t sense them from a short distance.

So far this star-pointing season, only seven or eight students had generated fluctuations strong enough for Ning Yuchan to detect from a hundred meters away.

Now, Xu Jin was one of them.

And Xu Jin had produced star energy fluctuations faster than anyone else.

Sensing wave after wave of Xu Jin’s star energy fluctuations, Ning Yuchan grew more certain than ever: Xu Jin’s talent had been concealed and delayed by his congenital heart ailment.

Too bad nothing could be done about it.

Xu Jin, however, was unaware of all this—he was fully immersed in his cultivation.

This change in the Five Stars Killing Fist’s execution had multiplied the refinement effect—absolutely incredible.

Last night, Xu Jin had thought the Star Lamp on the Refinement Platform was useless; now he considered it a divine artifact.

The second movement of the Five Stars Killing Fist, Raise Ten Thousand Stones, is offensive; Instructor Cui taught that star energy must explode in layered, stacked bursts—like lifting heavy weights, sustaining force until final release.

Previously, Xu Jin remembered only the explosion, completely missing the layered buildup; but last night’s practice inside the Star Lamp had made him understand.

You must explode—but not all at once. You must control the star energy, using fist momentum to trigger small, successive bursts, each stronger than the last, until all bursts converge and detonate together—that’s Raise Ten Thousand Stones!

Shhh!

As the fist wind tore through the air, the starlight in Xu Jin’s chest suddenly expanded outward in a wide ring, causing him to grunt in pain, his face twisting in agony.

It wasn’t qi deviation.

Rather, after the explosion of Raise Ten Thousand Stones, star energy surged violently into unrefined areas, delivering extreme pain.

Like a classmate who, while learning splits, accidentally forced himself into one successfully.

The split was achieved—but his legs no longer felt like his own.

His chest ached so badly he could barely breathe, yet his refinement progress surged by a full level.

“Passed!”

A gust of wind brushed his face before the person arrived; the silver cane struck first as Ning Yuchan spoke: “Your comprehension is impressive—you’ll produce starlight halos soon.”

Xu Jin was about to ask what “starlight halo” meant, but Ning Yuchan silenced him with her silver cane: “Keep practicing, but remember—during the second movement, Raise Ten Thousand Stones, and the fourth, Break Heavenly Wolf, hold back your force until you reach Meal Xia Level Three.”

Otherwise, you’ll suffer internal injuries.”

“Thank you, Instructor.”

Ning Yuchan waved her silver cane, clanging as she moved away.

Her focus these past few days was on the boys who hadn’t yet succeeded in star-pointing—trying to guide and encourage them so more could succeed.

After swallowing a Blood-Replenishing Pill, Xu Jin resumed his fist practice.

This time, he didn’t dare be reckless—he followed Ning Yuchan’s advice strictly, holding back his force in Raise Ten Thousand Stones, refusing to unleash recklessly.

After all, his chest still throbbed faintly for the next hour. The remaining three movements, however, he practiced normally.

Mainly because last night’s Star Lamp practice had lasted only an hour; he’d gained insight into the first two movements, thanks to his habit of reflective thinking.

Now, during practice, he no longer fixated on refinement effects—he focused entirely on the fist technique itself.

Under these conditions, his technique improved significantly.

Xu Jin had decided: during lunch breaks and free moments, he must enter the Star Lamp on the Refinement Platform to practice more.

And he believed the Refinement Platform’s function extended far beyond what he’d already discovered—use it more, explore more, and he’d surely uncover new applications.

After all, a wok could be used for domestic abuse, and fish bladders weren’t just high-protein food.

As for the Refinement Platform, Xu Jin was confident he could make it shine brilliantly.

Suddenly, a burst of excited chatter erupted in the center of the morning practice grounds.

The boys who hadn’t yet succeeded in star-pointing all turned toward one direction—even Ning Yuchan went over.

That direction was Qian Xiaohu.

It seemed Qian Xiaohu had succeeded in star-pointing.

Morning class ended quickly. Today, Xu Jin did not channel the Star Lamp’s starlight into his body; he merely took an extra Awakening Spirit Pill and drew in one additional round of starlight. Altogether, he practiced the Five Stars Killing Fist ten times. Yesterday morning, after taking the Awakening Spirit Pill and drawing in two rounds of starlight, he’d practiced thirteen times.

He practiced three fewer times than yesterday, but in his own feeling, today’s refinement effect was stronger.

The reason? His improved mastery of the Five Stars Killing Fist was indispensable.

Thanks to the Blood-Replenishing Pill, he didn’t experience severe hunger at noon, yet he still devoured three large bowls of rice.

“Jin-ge, I really succeeded in star-pointing!”

“Jin-ge, thank you so much! Without your help, I never could’ve succeeded!”

“Jin-ge, now that I’ve succeeded, I’ll earn at least three or five taels of silver a month. After repaying you, I’ll buy two chickens for my parents to recover their strength.”

“Then I’ll save silver to get my brother a wife! Half the silver I earn from star-pointing came from my brother’s hard labor.”

“When the New Year comes, I’ll make new clothes for my mother, father, and sister—they haven’t worn new clothes in years.”

“.”

Qian Xiaohu, thrilled by his success, couldn’t sleep.

Listening, Xu Jin realized he too wanted to improve his family’s living conditions—to make several beautiful new outfits for his sister.

Should he find another wife for his father, Xu Dajiang?

That seemed like a real question.

Then, with a thought, Xu Jin’s spirit sank into the Star Lamp on the Refinement Platform, continuing his practice of the Five Stars Killing Fist.

The afternoon Star Martial Arts class covered forging; after listening for a while, Xu Jin simply let his mind wander, continuing his practice inside the Star Lamp.

For the rest of the day, before evening class, Xu Jin practiced inside the Star Lamp, making pleasing progress.

He began to grasp the basics of the last three movements: Sweep the Six Directions, Break Heavenly Wolf, and Center the Great Constellation.

Xu Jin finally understood what Ning Yuchan meant by “starlight halo.”

While practicing inside the Star Lamp after dinner, the second movement, Raise Ten Thousand Stones, occasionally produced a layer of starlight half an inch thick over his body—extremely sharp.

That must be the starlight halo.

Starlight enveloping the body—that’s starlight halo.

As for the first movement, Yin-Yang, he could now produce a starlight veil every time.

Of course, only inside the Star Lamp.

During evening class, Xu Jin followed his plan: after practicing two or three rounds, he began continuously channeling the Refinement Platform’s starlight into his body.

But before starting, he swallowed another Blood-Replenishing Pill and a Foundation-Strengthening Pill.

He practiced the Five Stars Killing Fist fourteen times straight before exhausting the single strand of starlight and the remaining one-fifth strand.

The refinement effect was astonishing.

Starlight now covered more than half his chest and abdomen, nearing his shoulders.

Xu Jin felt tonight’s single night’s refinement equaled the total of his three previous morning and evening sessions since succeeding in star-pointing.

The more times he continuously channeled star energy to practice the Five Stars Killing Fist, the more the refinement effects accumulated.

He also tested something else.

So far, one strand of starlight could support ten full rounds of the Five Stars Killing Fist.

That evening, two more boys succeeded in star-pointing, including Sha Youtian, who had been so confident before.

After evening class, Xu Jin didn’t rush back to his dormitory. Instead, he found a quiet, empty pavilion, sank his spirit into the Star Lamp, and continued practicing inside.

Xu Jin had already tasted the sweetness.

Tomorrow’s Star Martial Arts class would teach the Five Stars Killing Fist, and specifically the version after Star Pointing.

Xu Jin was already looking forward to it, as he had accumulated many questions he wanted to ask the instructor.

As usual, he trained inside the Star Lamp until the midnight drum sounded, then rose to head back to the dormitory.

But just before reaching the path to the dormitory, a dark shadow suddenly leapt from the roadside and blocked Xu Jin’s way!

(End of Chapter)